Visingsöslingan – Yellow Southern Loop 6.4 km

Experience the middle of three delightful circular trails starting near the harbour on Visingsö. You will walk through Sweden's largest contiguous oak forest, planted in 1831 for the Swedish navy's shipbuilding.

Experience the historic island of Visingsö on foot, where you can choose between three scenic loops. All three run through the beautiful oak forest that was once planted for shipbuilding, which never came to fruition. By the time the oaks were fully grown, society had transitioned to constructing ships with armour plating.

About the hiking trail

The trail begins and ends above Visingsö harbour, right next to the starting point of the horse-drawn carriages. The green northern loop is the longest of the three loops and runs centrally in an area a bit inland from the harbour. The trail is 6.4 kilometers long and mainly runs on flat forest paths.

The loops are easy to walk as the landscape is relatively flat, but watch out for tree roots on the paths. The Swedish National Property Board owns and manages the forest and trails.

Look out for majestic trees and different types of forests

The hike begins along Visingsö's eastern edge towards lake Vättern, where the forest is sparser, and at the end, the straight path is replaced by a beech forest that feels grand and almost magical.

Later in the hike, you pass the mighty Visingsö oak forest, which includes the Great Silver Fir (stora silvergranen), a tree that requires three adult arm spans to reach around. Keep an eye out for it as you walk under the tall trees that are part of our cultural heritage.

A walk with culture and history

This circular trail takes you south on the island, passing the mighty and tall Hagahögen, the island's largest burial mound. Archaeologists believe it is a chieftain's grave from the Bronze Age.

Near Hagahögen, there is another historical remnant, but from more modern times. Here you can walk among the crooked Mulberry trees, which usually do not grow at these latitudes. The mulberry trees were planted in the 1830s in an attempt to produce silk. The picky silkworms only eat leaves from mulberry trees. At that time, there were 1,500 trees in the plantation, but today only a few trees remain. Their fascinating appearance and unique flora make it an interesting experience.

There is a picnic bench by the Mulberry trees where you can sit down and rest.

Food and refreshments along the way

There is one refreshment option along the route, namely the beautifully located Persgården right at the edge of the forest. Here, you can enjoy refreshments, and during your visit, you can also see exhibitions in the art gallery or buy their well-known muesli or other products from the farm shop.

In addition to Persgården, there are picnic tables along the trail. Proper rest areas with facilities are lacking, but these can be found instead at Visingsö harbour.

How to get here

The trails start above the harbour, on the gravel road behind the horse-drawn carriages and Visingsö Lekland.